As a home seller, one of the best ways to ensure your home is ready for showings and open houses is to look at your home through the eyes of a buyer. Assessing your home top to bottom, inside and out, can help you hone in on places that need some extra TLC before buyers come through. Read on for ways to look at your home through a buyer’s eyes.
Assess the exterior first impression
Putting sentimentality aside, what is your first impression when driving to your house? Take special note of the condition of the front door, the lightbulbs in the exterior coach lamps, chipped exterior paint, and overgrown landscaping.
Take care of exterior details
Sometimes the most minor details are the first signs of a well-maintained home. Fresh planters, a new welcome mat, a porch free of debris and leaves, and windows and coach lamps free of cobwebs show that you take care of your home.
Note the smell
Every home has a smell, but ensure your home’s scent isn’t unpleasant. Hire a professional carpet and upholstery cleaning company deep to clean the carpeting, rugs, draperies and upholstery. Open the doors and windows leading up to showings to help fresh air circulate, and give the house a deep cleaning before showings and open houses.
Take a neutral stance
Neutrality throughout the house can help buyers envision themselves living in your home. Remove any overly personal items, such as family photographs and religious symbols. Give the house a fresh coat of paint in neutral colors so the home is blank canvas.
Gauge the flooring
The condition of the flooring can impact a room’s overall feel. While the wood floors don’t need to be entirely refinished, touch up any significant scratches or spots that are an eyesore. If wall-to-wall carpet needs replacing, consider replacing to give the space a fresh feel. If rooms have outdated tile, consider laying a new rug on top to provide it with an updated look.
Consider the amount of natural light
Natural lighting is at the top of many homebuyers’ lists. Rearrange the furniture so larger pieces aren’t blocking the amount of light that comes through the windows, and replace heavy drapery panels with lighter, breezier curtains. If overgrown bushes and shrubs are on the exterior, consider trimming them to allow more sunlight to shine through. Also, don’t underestimate the power of freshly cleaned windows — wiping down the exterior dirt, dust and debris will make more sunlight flood the interior.
Create more storage
Most homebuyers can’t get enough storage. Empty some of the contents of your closets and drawers to give the illusion of larger storage areas. Either use this opportunity to donate, sell or throw out these items, or get a head start on packing and pack up these items so they aren’t taking up space in your highly coveted storage space.
When you’re selling your home, getting caught up in everything you love about your house can be easy.
